Ascertain Hires Healthcare Executive Molly O'Neill as CCO to Drive Innovation
In a significant move that signals its intent to lead in the healthcare technology space, Ascertain has announced the appointment of Molly O'Neill as its new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). O'Neill comes with over 30 years of experience in the healthcare sector, combining strategic insight with a proven track record of driving growth and innovation across various health systems and startups. She most recently held the position of Chief Strategic Partnerships Officer at Aegis Ventures, where she developed a unique venture studio model. This collaborative framework brought together over 14 health systems, generating more than $100 billion in annual revenue.
Prior to her tenure at Aegis, O'Neill was Vice Chancellor for Duke Health. In this role, she spearheaded multiple strategic growth initiatives, focusing on clinical operations, educational programs, and health innovation. Her background also includes high-level positions at several prestigious organizations such as Medforth Global Healthcare Education Group, which is recognized as the largest provider of physicians into U.S. residency programs, and Tenet Healthcare, among others.
Mark Michalski, MD and CEO of Ascertain, expressed enthusiasm about O'Neill's arrival. He stated that O'Neill's extensive experience and leadership skills are precisely what Ascertain needs to strengthen its position in the healthcare marketplace. "Her ability to introduce innovative solutions in complex organizations and foster the relationships necessary for successful adoption will be invaluable as we move forward," he added.
With Ascertain's commitment to transforming healthcare through advanced automation, O'Neill's role will focus on scaling the company's impact across the healthcare landscape. Ascertain specializes in enhancing administrative workflows through agentic AI, delivering substantial efficiency improvements in processes such as prior authorization submissions. The company has successfully demonstrated its capacity for significant results, including a 67% increase in submission speed and an 80% reduction in the clicks required per case.
Recently, Ascertain secured $10 million in Series A funding led by Deerfield Management, a move aimed to accelerate growth and broaden access to its revolutionary AI-powered solutions. This financial backing underscores Ascertain's potential for significant advancements in the delivery of patient care, aligning with O'Neill's mission of making healthcare operations more streamlined and cost-effective.
O'Neill's vision resonates with Ascertain's founding principles. She expressed excitement about her new role, highlighting that Ascertain is leading the charge in using agentic AI to address the complexities of administrative tasks in healthcare. Her focus will be on reducing the operational burden on healthcare providers and payers, especially during challenging budgetary times.
"By relieving operational pressure, we're allowing health organizations to expand their capacity, lower costs, and ensure that care remains timely and efficient," O'Neill noted. She aims to work collaboratively alongside Ascertain's talented team to enhance their impact, encourage innovation, and further the mission of simplifying healthcare workflows for all stakeholders, making them more intelligent and human-centric.
Ascertain’s flagship product, the Unified Payer Portal, exemplifies this commitment to improving the healthcare administrative ecosystem. By using deep healthcare insight combined with collaborations from industry leaders, Ascertain aims to provide measurable returns on investment, enhance throughput, and significantly reduce administrative expenses.
As O'Neill steps into this pivotal role, the future looks promising for Ascertain as it continues to evolve and redefine the healthcare landscape through innovative technologies and strategic leadership.